The signing of the 13-point accord, called the “Tripoli Declaration”, by ten senior leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) last May 18 in Tripoli, Libya, calling for internal unity and reconciliation marks another significant episode in the history of the front. We in the civil society are truly elated with this development.

 

The MNLF being the first revolutionary movement which tussled to respond to the Bangsamoro’s age-long clamor against injustices, oppression, suppression and deep-rooted discrimination has experienced the vicissitudes of a true liberation front through time.

 

When the MNLF signed the Final Peace Agreement (FPA) with the Philippine government in 1996, the aspiration of the Bangsamoro for a just and lasting peace in their homeland had been rekindled. The atmosphere then was filled with expressions of hope. But more than ten years later those hopes were shattered by what the MNLF has attributed as the failure of the government to deliver its commitment to the accord. The government on the other hand has blamed the MNLF for lack of capacity to improve the condition of their people. Worst, MNLF chairman Nur Misuari was incarcerated, “ousted” and now “replaced”.  The news of the unity and reconciliation is the best scenario within the MNLF in the light of the ongoing Tripartite Review of the 1996 agreement which has been the source of the “squabbles”.

 

We in the civil society have always believed that a key to achieving the Bangsamoro’s goal for self-determination and development is a unity of purpose between and among the leaders, the mujahideen, the traditional leaders and the civil society. We have always advocated to the revolutionary organizations to talk and put their acts together even as they talk to the government 

 

History has been witness to multitudes of massacres and other form of human rights violation perpetrated by critical sectors of the Filipino society and the government against the poor Bangsamoro who, after having been victims of decades of land-grabbing, have been displaced and marginalized in their homeland. Hundreds of thousands of lives by poor Bangsamoro people have been lost, and the socio-economic, cultural and political situations of the Bangsamoro people have become dire.

 

The FPA did not genuinely serve its goal; it has neither averted wars nor skirmishes, much more bring a just and lasting peace in the Bangsamoro homeland. The homeland has continually been subjected to gerrymandering by the government, specifically by the Filipino politicians and, sigh, some selfish Moro politicians. Original geographical borders and landmarks have been erased so that the Mindanao-Sulu- Palawan (MINSUPALA) region has gradually been forgotten. Furthermore, multinational corporations have exploited the weak situation in the land.

 

It is worth emphasizing that many struggles for self-determination in the world even those much younger than the Bangsamoro’s struggle, have already been resolved while that of the Bangsamoro still continues. It is also worth noting that most of the countries that have respected the Right to Self-Determination (RSD) of the people who are unhappy under their jurisdiction have already started experiencing significant progress and relative peace because the energy which they used to exhaust in curbing armed struggles has already been diverted to improving their economy.

 

The present situation in the Bangsamoro homeland may be described by some people as relatively peaceful. It is worth asseverating however that the present situation is a product of the GOP-MNLF Peace Process and, of course, the GRP-MILF Peace Talks although the latter has suffered a heavy blow due to the Filipino society’s apparent cultural-discrimina tory baggage against the Bangsamoro. These two peace processes were a product of long years of armed struggles paid with blood.

 

To this end, the declaration of unity and reconciliation by the leadership of the MNLF is a blessing for the Bangsamoro people. For after all the Bangsamoro people are the rights holder of the struggle of both the MNLF and the MILF for that matter. The latter two were the duty holders.

 

If there is one dream that every Bangsamoro has in common, it is for the elusive sun of just and lasting peace to finally shine in their homeland. As the Filipino society enjoys the freedom that it has gained from the colonizers come June, may every Filipino also wish well for the Bangsamoro. Although RSD includes independence as its highest form, there are many other models around the world to explore into.

 

 

(Official statement of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society on the signing of declaration of unity and reconciliation of the leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front in Tripoli, Libya on May 18, 2008.)